Animal feeding method and apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for feeding animals such as hogs includes measuring behavior values of the animals, and controlling the feeding of the animals based on such measured behavior values. The amount of feed is thereby controlled to the animal's needs to provide optimal feed utilization. The behavior value measured includes the eating behavior and eating speed of the animals.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. Animal feeding apparatus comprising a feeding trough from which animals eat, supply means for supplying animal feed to said trough, measuring means on said trough for measuring the rate at which the animals eat the animal feed from said trough such that said measured eating rate is indicative of the behavior value of the animals, and control means operable in response to said measured rate to control the amount of feed subsequently supplied to said trough based on said prior measured rate such that the animal's own behavior thereby determines the amount of feed supplied to said trough. 
     
     
       2. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said measuring means measures the amount of animal feed in said trough and the amount of time taken by said animals to eat said measured amount of animal feed. 
     
     
       3. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said measuring means comprises a pressure sensitive device for measuring the amount of animal feed in said trough. 
     
     
       4. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said measuring means comprises a metrological device. 
     
     
       5. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring means is constructed and arranged to measure the amount of time the animals take in eating a known quantity of animal feed. 
     
     
       6. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said animal feed is in liquid form. 
     
     
       7. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said measuring means comprises a level device for measuring the level of animal feed in said trough. 
     
     
       8. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said measuring means comprises a capacitor device arranged in said trough. 
     
     
       9. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said animal feed is in liquid form and said capacitor device responds to the liquid level in said trough. 
     
     
       10. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said supply means comprises a supply container for said animal feed, a main feed line for supplying animal feed to a plurality of troughs, a plurality of branch lines with one branch line being provided between each trough and said main feed line, a dosage device disposed in each one of said branch lines for controlling the dosage of animal feed supplied to said trough, a pump in said main line for supplying animal feed to said main line, and a return line forming a continuation of said main line and returning animal feed back to said supply container. 
     
     
       11. Animal feeding apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising a filling level indicator for said supply container, said filling level indicator being connected to said control means, whereby said control means controls the mixing of the animal feed. 
     
     
       12. A method of feeding animals comprising supplying animal feed from a source of supply to a feeder, measuring the rate at which the animals eat said animal feed from said feeder such that the measured rate is indicative of the behavior value of the animals, utilizing said measured rate as a control value input, and controlling the amount of animal feed supplied to said feeder in response to said control value input such that the animal's own behavior thereby determines the amount of feed supplied to said feeder. 
     
     
       13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of measuring the rate at which the animals eat said animal feed comprises measuring the amount of time the animals take in eating a known quanity of animal feed. 
     
     
       14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said animal feed is in a form which is pumped through a conduit to said feeder. 
     
     
       15. A method according to claim 12, wherein said animal feed is in liquid form. 
     
     
       16. A method of automatically feeding animals with fluid-like animal feed comprising supplying a portion of animal feed from a source of supply of said fluid-like animal feed through a conduit to a trough, measuring the rate at which the animals eat said portion from the trough such that said measured rate is indicative of the behavior value of the animal, supplying said trough with another portion of said animal feed from said source of supply through said conduit, automatically controlling the amount of said other portion based on said measured rate such that the animal's own behavior thereby determines the amount of feed supplied to said trough, and subsequently automatically repeating said controlling step such that the amount of animal feed supplied to said trough is determined by the rate at which the animals eat the prior portion.